Bose

Bose may not be the first name you associate with learning about electronics, but the company's BOSEbuild educational division is aiming to change that with a DIY speaker. The BOSEbuild Speaker Cube is a $149 Bluetooth speaker broken down into its component parts, intended to teach kids not only what goes into a modern gadget but how principles like sound operate.

As one of the most recognized names in headphones and audio accessories, Bose is known for its noise-canceling technology and quality audio output. It should come as no surprise that its QuietComfort headphones are both its flagship model, and among the best-selling. But the thing is, the QuietComforts have remained wired as more and more rivals are switching to wireless (not to mention upcoming phones that are expected to ditch the headphone jack). That has finally changed.

These days, wireless speakers are the fad and traditional audio equipment makers are starting to get in line. Bose has long joined that group and is now expanding its wireless family with a new generation of SoundTouch speakers. In addition to their well-known quality, these speakers now boast of built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity that makes streaming, whether from mobile or the Internet, a breeze. Plus, Bose is also inducting a new member into that family, the smallest of the group, the Bose SoundTouch 10.

Bose has introduced its new SoundLink around-ear wireless headphones II, a pair of cans the maker says offers both the best wireless audio quality available and a host of new features, included among them being 15 hours of run time on a charge. In addition to the longer battery life, the new SoundLink headphones can connect two devices, feature NFC for fast pairing, voice prompts, and more. The headphones became available for purchase today in both white/gold and black/blue editions.

The 2016 MX-5 Miata was slowly but surely turning out to be Mazda's return to glory as far as the Miata line was concerned, delivering the unique experience that only open-air driving can deliver. But while the 2016 Miata's top-down mode lets you enjoy the breeze on your face, physics tells us that it may come a price of a sub par audio experience. Worry not, however, because sound experts Bose are on the scene, tweaking the MX-5 Miata's sound system to ensure clear audio, whether the top is up or down.

Cadillac is really upping its game with its 2016 Cadillac CT6. The CT6 will feature Bose audio; to be precise, it’s Bose’s new Panaray Sound System. 34 speakers, including amplifiers, tweeters, and a 10-inch woofer will shower the passengers in a sound experience they can only get in the CT6. Twin speakers are built into the headrests, and nearly all of the 34 speakers measure in at under 4 inches in diameter. To keep the bass pumping, the Panaray has twin amplifiers mounted in the trunk. An Nd woofer amplifier and Bose digital amplifier blast the beats to fill the cabin with heavy bass lines.

We've seen job ads reveal company plans more than once, and the latest is from Bose, which it seems is working on its own music streaming service. According to a job ad spotted by HypeBot, Bose is looking for a Senior User Experience Designer specializing in Cloud Music Services. This individual will work on Bose's "next generation streaming music platform and ecosystem of products," and it looks like the company is wanting to move quickly on its efforts.

It must be Apple’s day to roll stuff out and update their services, because there’s a lot going on. After seeing Apple TV would get some needed love from YouTube, as well as some new channels, there is a lot more to discuss. Apple’s iCloud seems to have replaced Google Maps for their own when using Find my iPhone, and Bose is coming back to the Apple Store. There’s also a new version of iOS out, though we wouldn’t get too excited there. The latest iOS fixes one small issue regarding iTunes ringtone purchases.

A lot has been speculated on regarding Apple’s relationship with third-party entities lately, as both Bose and Fitbit have reportedly come under fire as having offended Apple’s sensibilities. In Fitbit’s case, it seems to be their resistance to support HealthKit that allegedly has them on the edge of being removed from the Apple Store. Bose and the NFL have a partnership that saw athletes being fined for wearing Beats headphones. Suddenly, a search for Bose headphones in the Apple Store brings up no products.

Colin Kaepernick, the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, has become the first NFL player to be punished for wearing Beats headphones following last week's policy change by the league banning all non-Bose headphones. Due to an exclusive sponsorship deal with Bose, the NFL prohibits players and coaches from appearing in any competitors' headphones during interviews, both during games and off-season training, as well as for 90 minutes after a game ends.

Bose has settled a patent dispute against Apple-owned Beats. The suit alleged that Beats was using Bose noise-canceling technology in their headsets, but had no permission to do so, and was not licensing the tech from Bose. Bose was also seeking an import ban on all Beats products. Apple and Bose made a joint filing in a Delaware court acknowledging the settlement, and asked that the US International Trade commission end their investigation. Case closed, except for that pesky rumor about Apple Stores.

If you’ve not been keeping up with the world of sports, there’s some shady business going on in the NFL. The league has a new sponsor in Bose, which isn’t at all bad. The problem is the league is fining players for using non-Bose headphones, should they be photographed with them on. Adding a layer of complexity to the issue is that players tend to prefer Beats headphones, which is an Apple product. Now it seems Apple may be striking back, removing Bose products from stores.